Pocket-knife



2 sheetsf-sneet 1.

(No Model.)

J.ToLLEPs0N, POCKET KNIFE.v

Patented Dee. 8,1891.

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APATENT Fries.

JEFFERSON TOLLEFSON, OF ST. ANSGAR, IOXVA.

POCKET-KNIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,681, dated December 8, 1891.

Application led August 11, 1891. Serial No. 402,359. (No model.)

' a citizen of the United States, residing at St.

Ansgar, in the county of Mitchell and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Locking Pocket-Knife, of

'which the following is a specification.

-1 have produced a pocket-knife wherein the blade is both opened and closed by means of the handle side or sides thereof, wherein the blade is locked in its open and in its closed position to the handle, and wherein such locking provisions are difficult to ascertain by persons not acquainted with the concealed mechanism, and wherein the manipulation of such provisions for opening and for locking the blade open are reversed for closing and for locking the blade closed.

One of the objects of my invention is-to dispense with the use of a back-spring or of any spring for securing the blade either in its open or in its closed position in the handle; and in such object I provide a substitute for such back-spring having, in connection with handle sides, the character of concealed locking devices arranged for manipulation by" combination movements of handle parts which4 appear to Ybe iixtures therewith, the key to which is a certain order and extent of such movements.

My invention consists of certain novel parts and combination of parts, the several features of which will be separately and specifically pointed out in the claims concluding this specification. Before specifying such claims I willv describe the knife, which is illustrated in the annexed drawings, showing a structure embodying the several features of my said invention in combination and as applied to one form of device and that one which is at present preferred by me.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of the knife closed and its blade locked. Fig. l is a similar view of the'opposite side. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the blade being open and locked. Fig. 2b is a similar view of the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a back view of the saine. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line a of Fig. 1, showing the devices which lock the blade and the handle in their locked position. Fig. 5 i-s a similar View, the devices which lock the blade being in their unlocked position. Fig. 6 shows one side of the handle open and partially opening the blade. Fig. 7 shows a similar View, the handle being in the position when partially closing the blade. Fig. 8 is an inside view of one side of the handle, showing its locking-slide in full and in dotted lines. Fig. 9 is a similar View .of the other side of the handle, showing its locking-slide in full and in dotted lines; and Fig. 10 shows the back-lever (on its two sides) that is pivoted to one side of the handle and forms an element of the locking devices, and Fig. 11 is a cross-section on the line b of Fig. 4. Fig. 12 is a detail showing the slide 10 in locking position with the keeper 19 and the lever 14;

and Fig. 13 shows an end view of the handle part 1, the lever 14, and the lock for the slide. In the drawings I have shown my invention as applied to what is known as a jackknife, but it is obvious it may be applied to other forms and constructions of knives and to things other than knives, wherein a secret lock vfor a cover or lid or drawer would be desirable.

.1 and 2 are the handle sides, which may be made of any suitable material, andeach has a riveted inner side facing-plate 3 and 4, Which extend beyond the handles at corresponding ends thereof, and to and between which projecting ends the knife-blade 5 is pivotally riveted so as to swing independently of and with the handle sides in opening and in closing the blade. Under the facing-plate 3 of the handle side 1 .is tted-a slide-plate 6, having an end right-angle plate 7, which forms a fac-v ing for the end of said handle side, the other end ofsaid slide 6 extending to the opposite end of the handle and has a longitudinal slot 8, one side whereof has a notch or intersecting slot 9, for a purpose to be presently stated.

Under the facing-plate 4 of the handle side 2 is fitted a slide-plate 10, which has a rightangled end plate 11, which forms a facing for the end of the handle side. The other end of said slide, extending to the opposite end of the handle,terminates in a T- shaped end 12, whereat the facing-plate 4 has a cross-slot 13, approximating in form the letter T and wider and longer than the T end of said slide, fora purpose to be presently stated.

IOO

In the position oceu pied by the back-sprin g of a pocket-knife I pivot a lever 11 near that end nearest the pivoted end of the blade, its other end conforming to and closing the space between the non-pivoted ends of the handle sides and having, preferably, a cross-slot 15, at one edge of which, preferably the outer edge, rises two spurs or projections 16 at or near the ends of the slot. That side of this lever which joins the facing-plate 3 has a pin 17 near its slot 15, which, passing into and through a slot 1S in said facing-plate 3, engages t-he slide-slot 8, while a keeper-like part 19, projecting from said plate, passes into and through the cross-slot 15 in the lever and into and through the cross-slot 13 of the facingplate 4 for engagement with the T end 12 of the slide-plate 1t), for a purpose and in a manner which I'will presently explain.

The thickness of the lever 1t and of the shank 2O ot' the blade are equal to permitthe handle side 2, not attached to the lever, to have a close joining on the latter when closed with it, as in Fig. 3. The shank 2O of the blade has two short studs, one 21 on one side and the other 22 on its other side, and arranged one on one side of the pivot-rivet 23 of the blade and one on the other side thereof in the length of the blade, and the primary object of these studs is to engage, respectively, the projectingends 24 of the facingplates 3 and it, which ends are for that purpose formed with stops or recesses 25, and thereby form a lock to hold the blade open when the handle sides are closed, as in Fig. 2, wherein the stud 21 prevents the blade from being turned back, and the stud 22 in Fig. 2l prevents the blade from being closed. Vhen the blade is closed, the positions of these studs are reversed,'and the outer one prevents the blade from being opened, asin Fig. l, and for this purpose the ends of the facing-plates have identical stops or recesses 25 on opposite sides of the pivot-rivet. This construction adapts the stud 21 to limit the opening of the blade, as in Fig. 2, and to limit the closing of the blade, as in Fig. 1, and so serve as a stop to prevent its edge from contact with the back-lever, which would otherwise occur in closing the bladeas in Figs. 1 and 7.

In the closed position of the knife th slideplate G, by its slotted engagement with the pin 17 of the lever, locks the latter in line with the back ot' the knife, as in Fig. 7, in which position the pin 17 will stand in the longitudinal part of the slot S at one side of the transverse slot 9 thereof, and the said slide 6 will be in its normal or closed position. (Seen in Fig. l.) The other slide-plate 10 will,

by its T- shaped end 12, be engaged with the slot of the keeper 19, and thereby lock the two handle sides together, because this keeper projects from the facing-plate 3 into the cross-slot 13 of the facing-plate 4t and across the path of said slide 10, so that its T end 12 stands within the keeper 19 and is locked in such position by the engagement of one of the spurs 1G of the lever with one of the arms 2G of the T- shaped end of said slide, as shown in Fig. 12. For this purpose the arms 2G of the said T end extend through and beyond the keeper, so that the spurs 1G will stand between the keeper and the said T- arms, and the lever, being in its normal position, will lock the slide-plate 10 within the keeper, and thereby lock the handle side2 to the handle side 1, and this locking function of the parts is identical whether the blade be opened or closed.

To open the knife, the slide G of the handle side 1 is slightly drawn out by applying the thumb-nail to the end facing-plate 7 of said slide. rllhis movement brings the crossslot 0 in the slide opposite to or coincident with the pin 17 of the lever 14:; but if this slide is drawn alittle too farornot far enough for such coincidence, then the further order in the movements is stopped. This slide being moved theexact distance, the lever is unlocked and its spurred end is free to be moved out, as in Fig. G, because its pin 17 will then be in position to enter the said side slot. This movement of the lever, if within certain limits, unlocks the slide 10 of the handle-side 2; but if the lever is moved too far out or not far enough, then the further order in the movements is stopped, because unless the exact movement of the lever is made one or the other of its spurs 16 will catch on one or the other of the arms 26 of the T end of the slide 10 and bar its withdrawat them and out of the keeper and thereby unlock the slide 10 and permitits handle-carrying part 2 to be raised to free it of the keeper 19. This movement of the lever is elfected by applying pressure preferably to the back of the lever at its short end, next the pivotrivet of the blade. The handle side 2 being thus unlocked is swung around on its pivot 23 away from the back through an are of half a revolution, bringing the recess 25 in its facing-plate -1 against the stud 22 on the bladeshank, when, continuing the movement ot' the handle side to complete the circle, it acts like a lever to open the blade, bringing the stud 2l on its other side in the recess 25 of the other facing-plate 3, and the handle sides and blade in alignment and in position to be again engaged with the keeper, from which it had been unlocked, as in Fig. 2b. The blade is then locked in its open position by pressingin the short end of the lever to bring the space or passage between its spurs exactly in alignment with the arms 26 of the T end of the slide 10, then pressing in and closingthe latter to engage its end with the keeper 19; then pressing in the slotted end of the lever lOO IIO

to carry its spurs 16 behind the arms 26'of the T end of the said slide, and finally press in and close the slide 6 to carry its cross-slot 9 from opposite the pin 17 in the lever, and thereby lock the latter to its handle side.

To close the blade, draw out the slide 6, press inthe short lever end and draw out the slide 10, raise the handle side 1 to disengage it from keeper 19, and swing it around from the back, bringing its recess 25 in engagement with the stud 22, which thereby carries the blade to its closed position with the handle, which latter is engaged with the keeper and locked by the same order of movements of the lever and the slides as in lookin g the blade in open position.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the blade, by the location'of its studs, is locked to the handle-side plates, so that the blade cannotbe opened when closed or closed when open without first unlocking one of the handle sides; that the slide 6 locks and unlocks the lever; that the lever locks and unlocks the other slide 10, and that the latter locks and unlocks thehandle sides, and it will be understood that in opening or in closing the blade the handle sides are both free to be swung independently of and with the blade. It will also be understood that the withdrawing movement of the slide 6 must be within a precise limit to effect its unlocking function, and that for this purpose the said slide 6 is free to be moved short of or beyond such limit, and thereby render it difficult to find the precise limit. It will also be observed that the movements of the lever must be within certain precise limits to effect both its locking and unlocking functions, and that for this purpose the said lever is free to be moved short of or beyond such limit and thereby render it diiiicult to find the precise limit to permit the slide 10 to be drawn out of its keeper to unlock the handle sides, and finally it must be observed that such precise adjustment of the lever is required to permit the said slide 10 to be engaged with its keeper to lock the handle sides.

Referring more particularly to the locking functions of the lever and of the slide 10, it will be seen that when the end 12 of the latter is engaged with the keeper and the handle side 2 is thereby prevented from being raised or from having any sidewise movement, because the width of the slide at this point is just sufficient to allow it to enter the keeper, while between this end 12 and the arms 26 of the T end the slide has the least width, and it is on each side ofthis narrow part that the spurs of the lever are free to be moved sidewise when the lever is unlocked. As the space between the spurs is equal to the opening in the keeper and a little greater than the width between the T-arms, the latter can be readily moved into and through said keeper when the space between the spurs and the keeper are exactly coincident. The movement of the lever, however, in or out interrupts this coincidence so as to cause one or the other of the spurs to be intervened between the keeper and one or the other of the arms of the T end and thereby form a bar or obstruction to the withdrawal of the said slide. These movements of the lever are, therefore, intended to be of sufficient extent to lcause the spurs to interrupt such coincidence and thereby make it difficult to move lthe lever to the exact extent to effect such coincidence. Soin like manneris it made difficult to move the T-arms through the keeper, for in such movement of the slide its T-arms will abut against the spurs of the lever if they should ,be the vleast out of coincidence with the keeper-opening, so that the same device which forms a bar to the withdrawal of the slide in its unlocking functions forms valso a bar to the closing of the said slide in its locking function.

I have stated that the lever has a cross-slot for engagement with the keeper; but itis obvious that the slot is not necessary.

Referring more particularly to the function of the slide 6, it will be seen that when in its closed position and when in its withdrawn position the lever-pin will be within the slot 8 and the lever thereby locked, and that it is between these limits that the slide must be moved to a point unseen to bring the leverpin opposite to the intersecting slot to unlock the lever.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts, I claim- 1. In a pocket-knife, the combination,with the blade, of the handle sides pivoted thereto, a longitudinally-arranged slide device in each handleside, a keeper in one of said handle sides, a lever pivotally connected With that handle side on which is said keeper and having provision for adjustably engaging its slide device, and a laterally-adjustable spur device carried by said lever for locking and unlocking the slide of the keeper engaging handle side within said keeper in the way described.

IOC

IIO

2. In a pocket-knife, the combination, with the blade and the handle sides pivoted thereto, of alever pivotally connected to one of said handle sides, forming the back of the knife, having spursl on one side and a pin on the other side, a slide 6 in said vlever-connected handle side having a slot for engaging said lever-pin, and a slide 10 in the other handle side for engaging the keeper on the pivotla keeper 19 rising from this handle side, and

having spurs 16 16 at or near said slot, a slide G in this handle side having slots 8 and E) adapted to engage a pin 17 on said lever, and a slide 10 in the other handle side adapted to engage the said keeper and the said spurs on the lever, for operation in the way Stated.

L In a pocket-knife, the combination, with the blade and the handle Sides pivotally oonnected thereto,of alever lei, pivotally connected to one of said handle sides, having a crossslot 15, Suppleinented by spurs lG l0 and engaging a keeper l0 rising from this handle side, the other handle side having a slot 13 coincident with and adapted to reeeive said keeper, and a slide l0,having a T end adapted to engage said keeper and the spurs of the lever, in the way and for the purpose stated.

5. In a pocket-knife, the following` elements in combination: a blade, the handle sides pivoted thereto, a leek for the blade, a lever forming the back of the knife and pivotally connected to one of its handle sides, a leeking and unlocking device for said level' carried by its pivotally-eonneeted side, and a device carried by the other handle side for looking and unlocking` it with the said lever and its pivotally-eenneeted handle sides, substantially as described.

(i. In a pocket-knife,the eoxnbination,with the blade, of a handle side pivoted thereto, havin g' a slide (5 longitudinally movable therein, and having a keeper l!) projecting from its inner side at the non-pivoted end, a lever le, piveted to said handle side, having spurs 1G 1U or projections adapted to obstruct the openingr in said keeper, a suitable connection between said lever and slide whereby said lever and spurs are Controlled, a pivoted handle side having a slot 13 11o receive said keeper, and a longitndinally-movable slide l0, having` a head or end adapted to engage said keeper and obstruction when the lever is moved in one way and to be released when moved in the other \vay,fo1'tl1e purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I have Signed this specification in the presence of two Subscribing witnesses.

JEFFERSGN TOLLEFSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. GET'rs, LEONARD Rosen. 

